1.3 Why do we want happiness?

Before we explore attaining lasting happiness, have you ever wondered why it is that we yearn to be happy? A simplistic answer would be, “Happiness feels good!”

The real reason, though, is that deep within each of us, is a soul (ātmā). The soul is the God within us and one of the qualities of God, is perpetual Bliss (Ānand). Bliss is that happiness which is of the highest order that is not dependent on anything else. Subliminally, we know that a superlative form of happiness (i.e. Bliss), does exist and we struggle to find this natural state of Bliss.

But we make one big mistake. We look for this happiness outside ourselves instead of trying to tap the Bliss within.

Once a person said in jest, “It is so unfortunate that God has created us with our eyeballs facing outwards when we will only find unending happiness if we go within.”

And that is why we get captivated and, quite literally, entrapped by whatever we see in the outside world!